Kathleen Ennen
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   Lagos, PT and Boston, MA   

 

Part 2 – June 23 onward

6/23  Baking adventure – almond tart!!! After several visits to the bakery I tried it at home. First recipe was not so great – tasty but very cake like. I’m trying to get to a cookie/shortbread base topped by a caramelized almond topping. This second round is much closer to the mark – very good, but I think I’ll next try a true shortbread base with the topping added at the end…..

https://azoresgal.blogspot.com/2015/06/caramelized-almond-tart.html

Throughout our stay here the time spent reading has gone up by hours and hours. I’m glued to my kindle for several hours during the day and at least an hour before sleeping. I’m getting so much sleep here that reading no longer puts me to sleep the way it has always done in the past. Always!! I’ve read Rocket Boys, Midnight in Chernobyl, the Water Dancer, all 8 Outlander books, and have started the John Grey series also by Diane Gabaldon. This all after putting aside, and still hoping to go back to, The Rise to Rebellion.

Thom has read some kindle but is enjoying good ‘ole books again. We’ve found a great used book shop of all English books – modern, classics, and he’s found several Steig Larson to read or reread. He then returns them for a modest credit and gets more. He never comes out empty handed!!! Meanwhile, as he’s perusing the books shelves I’m around the corner at the thrift shop. I found good fabric for making masks and also a terrific nearly new portable beach chair with a small built in cooler stitched to the back!! The flat has an umbrella so now we are ready for the beach and the warm weather that’s arrived.

https://www.facebook.com/owlstorybooks/

Departure – July 16

We ended our long stay in Portugal after 4 months. We really loved our flat and our simple daily routine. Lots of reading with occasional walks, some long, some not, and frequent runs to the grocery stores that were always full of fresh fruits, veg, fish and the tasty EU chicken!! We also went to the beach several times on hot days as the water was warming up enough to go in briefly. We will so very much miss Lagos Portugal.

Our day long trip back to Boston turned out to be uneventful and felt very safe. We started off with a taxi to Faro airport. Faro was not crowded at all!!! We waited abit for the check-in counter to open, easily distancing from the few others doing the same thing. Once queued into check in everyone stayed on the floor decals to continue the distancing efforts. Once through security, again with very few people and with contactless encounters to display the boarding pass to an e-reader, we went to the boarding area. Again few people and we saw no one without a mask on.

We had a 6-hour layover in Lisbon but it too was not crowded. Unfortunately due to CV19 the TAP lounge was closed so we walked abit, sat in several different areas, and had something to eat in the food court where all tables were spaced a good distance apart, hand sanitizer stands were in plain sight, and 3-4 restaurants were open. Most of the retail shops were closed which is a sign I think…..

We boarded as soon as we could onto our A321Neo – business class, TAP Portugal flight. What a great setup. The best seats nearly anywhere in business class are in rows 2 or 4 of an A321Neo. These are a single seat, one on each side of the aisle, with lots of room for stuff on each side. There are cubbies, a small locker, and lots of space!!! And the lie-flat seat/bed is the best I’ve seen. I slept really well for 4-5 hrs of the 7hour flight!!! I was also glad to see a hot meal served after reading that they might only serve prepackaged items. We had wine, port, and a hot meal served with linen and stainless flatware. Nice…..

We arrived in Boston on schedule and then struggled some to find the Uber pickup location in central parking. It’s not that easy to find and track the signs from the International terminal, Terminal E. We finally figured it out and got to the house around 10:30pm. We were doing pretty well given the 5 hr time difference!!!!

So back in Boston and waiting to get through 14 days of quarantine which will end July 30. We miss the sunny dry and moderate temperature of Portugal. It’s hot here. It’s muggy too!!!

We’ve run the RV back to the “hospital” to complete warranty repairs left undone last October. Hoping to resume our travels next month and visit the national parks in Utah. After that – it’s unclear what comes next. There’s a motion on the floor to sell the RV. It’s probably a good time to do that but I’ll miss it. Thom finds overseas travel more rewarding than US travel. Not sure when we’ll be able to resume that!!

26 thoughts on “Portugal to USA – June-July 2020”

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  6. If you want to use the photo it would also be good to check with the artist beforehand in case it is subject to copyright. Best wishes. Aaren Reggis Sela

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